Andhra Pradesh CM resigns over Telangana

A day after the controversial Telangana Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday resigned from his chair as a mark of protest.

"I'm resigning for failing to fulfill my duties," Reddy said at a press conference here.

Reddy has reached Raj Bhawan soon after the conference to submit his resignation letter to Governor ESL Narasimhan.

"I am resigning to show protest. I will tell the governor clearly, that they should make alternative arrangements," Reddy said at the conference.

He has also acknowledged the Congress Party for providing him an opportunity to become the Chief Minister.

After days of protest and uproar in the Parliament, the controversial Telangana Bill was finally passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday which will bifurcate Andhra Pradesh for the creation of a separate Telangana statehood.

The Lower House of the Parliament passed the Telangana Bill by voice vote amid uproar.

Speaking on the passage of the Bill, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said, "We had promised a seperate Telangana and we had to pass the bill. During my speech on Telangana, I said that we will give special package to the Seemandhra region. Whatever lapses are there, will be sorted out soon."

With the passage of the Bill, Hyderabad will be joint capital of both the states - Telangana and Seemandhra.

The amendment to make Hyderabad, a capital of Telangana, was, however, defeated by voice vote in the Lok Sabha.

The Bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha was the one sent to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly earlier.